How to be a stylish mama

This year, commit to fighting the frump. By following these simple steps, you can look pulled together on a daily basis with minimal effort.

Stylish mama

Is it possible to be a mom and stylish at the same time (without totally neglecting the kids, that is)? The short answer is: YES!

"We are just so focused on the little human beings who rely on us that we often put ourselves and our needs at the very bottom of the daily to-do list," says Cyia Batten, designer and fashion expert, and one of the creative minds behind T.Cyia jewelry. "'Our kids come first!' we say, and I think we forget that part of good parenting is good self-care and part of good self-care means presenting yourself to the world in a way that you feel good about."

Me? Frumpy?

Sometimes it's easier to identify other frumpy mothers than to recognize frumpiness in our own lives. According to Batten, some of the signs of an elevated frumpy factor include:

• Your hair is usually on a bun on top of your head.
• You wear the same sweatpants you slept in the night before to the store.
• You wear slippers outside of the house.
• Your wardrobe consists of tees, jeans and running shoes.
• Your significant other hasn't seen you naked in months.
• YOU haven't seen yourself naked in months.

Most importantly, if you recognize these signs in your life, don't accept your style-less fate. Take a stand and return to the land of the fashionable.

The plan

If you're on the wrong end of the fashion spectrum, take solace in knowing that you can turn things around relatively quickly. Batten provides some of her best tips to eliminate frump for good:

• Just do it once. Get dressed, put on a cute outfit, get it together and you will be instantly transported having remembered what it feels like to feel good about how you look.


• I make it a point to wear jewelry every day. Some days, I go big and other days I wear a simple pair of stud earrings, but I never go naked (in public, that is).


• Wear make-up. I usually keep it very simple: a little powder or concealer for problem areas, a sweep of blush, a simple eye shadow and mascara. For night time, I step up the eyes and will add a lip color.


• Get a stylish pair of flats whether they are ballet flats or flat knee- or thigh-high boots. Just because we are running after our little ones everyday and heels aren't our most practical choice doesn't mean we are destined to live in Frumpy-Shoe-Land. Having said that, I wear heels a lot because I like them and when I do, I keep flats in my car for when I am over the heels.

Of course, fighting frump may not be an overnight effort. Still, if you are serious about injecting your world with a healthy dose of style, it definitely can be done. Batten reminds us, "Should you expect to be a perfect package every day? Absolutely not! Life happens. Let's just do the best we can."

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